Eastbourne

Eastbourne's population increased by about 9,700 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 99,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Eastbourne increased by 10.9%, from just under 89,700 to 99,400.

The addition of about 9,700 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Eastbourne was home to, on average, 16 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Eastbourne

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Eastbourne increased by one year, from 42 to 43 years.

This area had a higher average age than the South East and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 2,700 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 70 and 79 years decreased by just over 300.

About 12.0% of people in Eastbourne are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Eastbourne by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Eastbourne residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 10.2% to 6.2% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (78.5%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 64.2% in 2001. The percentage of Eastbourne residents that described their health as fair decreased from 25.6% to 15.3%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad decreased faster here than in any other local authority district across the South East. The improvement brought health in Eastbourne close to the regional average 4.4% in the South East described their health as good in 2011).

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Eastbourne decreased by 4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Eastbourne, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Eastbourne

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Eastbourne was among those who said they had no religion, rising 13.5 points.

In 2011, 31.7% of respondents in Eastbourne gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 18.2% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the South East, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 17.9% to 30.1%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Eastbourne, 64.8% said they were Christian, compared with 79.3% in 2001. About 0.1% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.1% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion decreased from 8.1% to 8.0%.

In Eastbourne, 8.0% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 8.1% in 2001. In South East, 7.4% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

the population without a religion in Eastbourne increased by 14 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, South East and Eastbourne by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Eastbourne

The percentage of Eastbourne residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.1% to 3.9% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 6.7%, while the percentage of Eastbourne residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 90.2% to 89.4%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.5% in 2001 to 3.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Eastbourne at a faster rate than in Wealden (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Eastbourne).

In Eastbourne, the proportion of private renting increased from 13.8% in 2001 to 23.3% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Wealden increased from 6.6% to 11.1%.

Across the South East, the share of privately rented homes increased from 10.2% to 16.5%.

The rate of social housing in Eastbourne fell from 15.8% to 13.2%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 67.9% to 61.7%.

Private renting in Eastbourne increased by 9.5 percentage points

Percentage of households in Eastbourne, the South East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing relationships in Eastbourne

The percentage of married people fell in Eastbourne, but at a slower rate than in Hastings (one of the most statistically similar areas to Eastbourne based on ONS area classifications).

In Eastbourne, the proportion of married people decreased from 46.8% in 2001 to 43.2% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in statistically similar Hastings decreased from 45.6% to 39.6%.

Across the South East, the share of married people decreased from 52.8% to 49.3%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership in Eastbourne increased from 28.2% to 33.3%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 13.3% to 14.4%.

The proportion of married people was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Eastbourne working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 12.5% to 8.9% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 25 (3.7%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.5% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 14.3% in 2001 to 11.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Eastbourne decreased by 3.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Eastbourne, the South East and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households without children fell in Eastbourne, while rising in statistically similar Hastings.

In Eastbourne, the proportion came down from 69.9% in 2001 to 68.0% in 2011, while across England it went up from 64.9% to 65.9%. During the same period, the regional proportion remained close to 61.7%.

The proportion of households with children in Eastbourne increased from 23.7% to 24.5%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents increased from 6.5% to 7.5%.

The proportion of households without children was higher than across the South East

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of one-person households fell here, while rising in statistically similar Hastings.

In Eastbourne, the proportion came down from 37.7% in 2001 to 36.2% in 2011, while across England it went up from 36.5% to 38.3%. During the same period, the regional proportion remained close to 29.0%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Eastbourne increased from 8.0% to 9.5%, while the percentage of households with a married couple remained close to 26.7%.

The percentage of households with only one person was higher than across the South East

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Eastbourne

In 2011, 2.8% of Eastbourne residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from from 1.5% in 2001.

Across the South East, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 2.6% to 5.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 94.1% of people in Eastbourne said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 96.6% in 2001. About 1.8% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 1.1% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.4% to 0.8%.

the population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Eastbourne increased by 1.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Eastbourne by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing work life

The percentage of Eastbourne residents that were studying increased from 2.8% to 3.9% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under one in two (49.8%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 48.4% in 2001. The percentage of Eastbourne residents that were unemployed increased from 2.9% to 4.1%.

The proportion of students increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.7% in 2001 to 3.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students in Eastbourne increased by 1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Eastbourne, the South East and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Eastbourne residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 2.1% to 2.6% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.0%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 1.7% in 2001 to 2.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Eastbourne remained close to 2.6%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Eastbourne by care, March 2001 and March 2011

↑ Back to the top

Area report data

Related links